Inverviews with Season 69 Super Bowl Coaches
by AST1N | 4 years ago | 0 Comments
I know, I know. "Field, you are only supposed to do your prediction articles and occasionally make bad takes on Twitter! Stay in your lane!" Well, when the boss man tells you the company is bleeding money and that they need you to contribute more to maintain your very low salary, you do as he says! I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with both coaches and ask them about their past, the big game ahead, and about their coaching philosophies/styles. That being said, let's kick this off with our first interview, Coach Adelmann of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Exclusive Interview with Philadelphia Eagles Coach Mike Adelmann
Field Yates: Hey, Coach. Field Yates here. Congrats on another NFC Championship!
First off, I have to address the giant elephant in the room, and my bosses told me I needed to get this answer if I wanted to keep my job. Can you just tell me the number of Super Bowl losses you have endured in your long Red Zone career?
Mike Adelmann: [Slams door in my face] Don't make me relive the pain.
FY: Sorry, you know how those editor-in-chiefs are. Always making us reporters ask the questions nobody has the balls to ask, and then threaten our job security if we don't. Have I mentioned how much I love my job??
How would you say those losses, after having such a successful season beforehand, make you feel? I can't imagine that gut punch sat well with you, especially after all the hard work you put in and how much you invest into your team. What can you learn from those experiences?
MA: Thanks for having me Mr. Yates, I’m a big fan of your work. Appreciate the kind words about our win.
Unfortunately with a long career comes plenty of heartbreak. We lost in Super Bowl 21 to Killah and the Steelers, Super Bowl 24 to Live2Die and his Ravens, Super Bowl 39 to Astin and his Ravens, then most recently Super Bowl 67 to Moji and the Jets.
Lucky enough for us we managed to win 5 of those to preserve a winning record in the big game.
Obviously it’s a massive disappointment after all the work, practice, and preparation you put in. Gut punch is a perfect way to describe it.
We have learned how to deal with the pressures of the big game with those losses. Stick to our gameplan, there is a reason we are in the final game, so don’t try and get too cute.
In the past I think we deviated from our strengths, and as my career has gone along, we have learned to stick to our identity on the biggest stage.
FY: In many cases, the difference between a win and a loss can come down to a handful of big plays, and sometimes even just 1 or 2. When its not your team that gets those game altering plays, do you attribute that to just bad luck, or do you feel like there is something you possibly could have done differently to push the tide in your direction (for example, calling a different play, being more/less aggressive)?
MA: We are a very aggressive team, we are one of the higher 4th down attempt teams in the league, and we take some risks on defense. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but more often than not we have the personnel to capitalize. Luck certainly plays a factor in all aspects, but if we were less aggressive, I’m sure we wouldn’t give up as many yards.
FY: Alright, random situation question. If you have to choose, would you rather lose a Superbowl, or go 0-16 in 4 straight seasons? Obviously you only have experience in the one, but the latter feels like it would be rough to endure, especially considering the amount of time it would take to get through.
MA: Definitely the Super Bowl loss. At least you experienced some success. Going 0-16 4 times? That is actually a pretty impressive accomplishment. Lucky for our league right now, we don’t have any coaches that incompetent.
FY: Unfortunately, that is all the time I have. I have to thank you for your time, Coach. Let's get that team ready to go tonight so that you don't have to get a runners-up ring for the thumb. Former Coach Kaddy Shacks tells me thumb rings can often become very uncomfortable, so he doesn't suggest it. If you can pull this one out, I think we can say for certain that the NFC was truly the kings of this cycle.
There you have it folks. While Philadelphia Eagles fans rejoice over another NFC Championship won, I am almost afraid that Coach Adelmann has his focus on his past history of losing in the big game. If I am an Eagles fan, I would be very concerned. They always say that if you go looking for the bad in things, that's what you will find. Is Coach Adelmann looking to add another Super Bowl loss to his resume? Either way, as the owner of the Eagles, you have to start wondering if this is the guy you want running your team. If it were me, I would look to replace him immediately after this game, win or loss.
Exclusive Interview with Tennessee Coach Leonard Washington
Field Yates: Hey, Coach. Field Yates here. Congrats on putting yourself in another opportunity to win the big game! How do you feel?
Leonard Washington: I’m thankful for another opportunity but I’m feeling unsatisfied.
FY: As you may know, there were (and still are) many skeptics that this team is not a championship caliber team. The talk lately is that the NFC is the powerhouse. What is it about this team gives you confidence that this is the team to bring it home to the AFC?
LW: I believe the confidence comes from being doubted. We thrive off of being counted out. A lot of skeptics have said we aren’t suppose to be here. I believe the fact that we are here speaks volumes of what we are able to do as a unit and why.
FY: Absolutely agree. I would say that this team had a tough stretch of games in the playoffs and you were able to come out on top every time. Your guys must have a lot of confidence after that stretch. Do you personally believe in momentum and getting hot at the right time, or do you feel that every game is exclusive of one another and that momentum doesn't exist, that consistency is the key to making a run?
LW: I think it’s deeper then that. All of those aspects lead to the experience. In our philosophy football goes hand and hand with life. Life doesn’t give you the best circumstances but you do what you can with what you’ve been giving. We realize that in winning or losing there is a lesson learned and how you show up builds consistency for us.
FY: Here I thought I was interviewing you, but yet I feel like I am going to walk away from this conversation with a deeper understanding of myself, my environment, and frankly, even the universe as a whole. So thank you for that. I was not ready for all of this, but I can see now why your players have nothing but great things to say about you and your coaching style. If you win this game tonight, have you thought about how you might celebrate?
LW: I have a few interest from teams for a head coaching position but outside of that sit back reflect, love on my kids & prepare for the grind.
FY: I love it. No matter what happens, I don't think you are the type to lose focus on the important things in life. Thank you for your time Coach Washington, and best of luck in your game tonight!
LW: Appreciate it, I thank you for your time as well.
Titans fans... you got a real one here. His pride for his team and the confidence he has in them cannot be overlooked. If I was picking the victor of this big game tonight, I always look for the coach who believes in his guys more. That guy is clearly Coach Washington, and I am excited to watch him attempt to hoist that trophy and see all his hard work this season pay off.
Thanks again to both coaches for taking their time out of their busy schedules to meet with me, all while game planning for this big night ahead. With a rematch on the line, it feels that both coaches have a chip on their shoulder, which should lead to a great game to tune into. Make sure to clear your schedule tonight as kickoff will begin at 8:30pm (Stream TBD).